A luxurious Caribbean island retreat awaits at GoldenEye Jamaica

A Jamaican home away from home, GoldenEye is no ordinary hotel, it is a collection of 49 villas, cottages and cabanas, scattered throughout tropical gardens, private beaches and secluded coves. Coined as the 'birthplace' of James Bond, GoldenEye is steeped in history. Artists and writers... spies and seducers... Their stories are as much a part of this bewitching place as the lush vegetation that makes GoldenEye a tropical paradise of incredible diversity.

There is a magnetic energy at GoldenEye that has attracted creative people from all walks of life for years. Ian Fleming moved to Jamaica after being sent by Royal Navy Intelligence to investigate the presence of Nazi ships in Jamaica. Fleming was captivated by the beauty of the place and built his holiday home there, which he named GoldenEye, after the operation that landed him in Jamaica. It was here that Fleming began to dream and write all the crazy James Bond adventures.

Chris Blackwell bought Ian Fleming's house eleven years after his death and first set up home and entertained his friends there before turning it into a hotel in 2010. Blackwell then built the villas, cottages and cabins that now welcome guests from all over the world.

GoldenEye offers three types of villas: beach villas, sea view villas and lagoon view villas. They have a capacity of 1 to 3 bedrooms. Ann Hodges, the Jamaican architect who designed the hotel, has designed these villas to offer the most relaxing experience, barefoot and connected to nature - wooden floors, high ceilings, clean lines and solid furniture. Guests can enjoy an outdoor shower in each villa's private garden for an extraordinary sensory experience in symbiosis with nature. The fully equipped kitchen and garden lounge allow guests to dine in the privacy of their villa.

Chris Blackwell wanted the cabins at GoldenEye to reflect style of his own home. “For me, living in a hut is about simplicity and relaxation.” What makes these cabins really special are the louvres that let the wind through and control the breeze and light. This means that the temperature is always regulated, which is why there is no air conditioning in the huts. The cabins are built on different levels, and are scattered in a vast lush garden that stretches from Snorkeler's Cove (right next to the water) to Shabeen (located at the lounge and pool deck). Guests can choose between 2 types of cabins, offering a garden view or a sea view, with 1 or 2 bedrooms.

An ideal starting point for sunrise paddle boarding or midnight swimming, there is nothing better than a lagoon cottage. Guests who like to start and end each day with a dip in the sea, are attracted to the lagoon cottages for their direct access to the water. Each cottage (1 or 2 bedrooms) comes with its own kayak allowing guests to move around as they please. Close to nature, lulled by the lapping of the water and the heady scents of the surrounding plants and flowers, guests can enjoy the turquoise waters at any time, while indulging in the modern luxuries of their cottage.

Secluded from the rest of the hotel, Villa Fleming sits in the middle of a lush garden, protected from view by lush tropical vegetation and offers guests its own private beach, swimming pool, screening room and bar. It was in this villa that Ian Fleming imagined and wrote all the iconic James Bond adventures. The Fleming Villa offers three rooms in the building and two independent cottages in the garden: Sweet Spot and Pool House. Guests staying at the Villa Fleming receive a team entirely dedicated to their stay, including: a butler who arranges all guest requests, a chef who cooks local Jamaican specialities and

a maid who prepares the set up of all meals within the Villa according to the guests' wishes.

GoldenEye offers a variety of dining options with two restaurants and four bars to suit all tastes. From breakfast by the pool at Le Bizot, a barbecue at the Bamboo Bar, sundowners at the Shabeen or dinner at the Gazebo, their is a wealth of culinary choices available for all at GoldenEye.

The SPA - its philosophy and treatments - are rooted in the island's land and its healing waters. The virtues of the plants used in the treatments promote a sense of soothing well-being and balance. Guests will find a connection to nature at FieldSpa truly restorative, either through the comfortable setting of the treatment rooms, coiled in the open nature or with the scent of spices wafting through the air. Massage, meditation, salt scrubs, herbal wraps or facials are just some of the choices available to guests. Most of the herbal elixirs and essential oils used in the treatments are made at the FieldSpa, based on traditional Jamaican recipes with healing properties.

From swimming to snorkeling, paddle boarding to kayaking, everything is designed to ensure that guests never get bored during their stay. There are numerous activities offered to guests. For the adventurous who would like to swim with fish, head to Snorkeler's Cove, where you can snorkel and explore the many coral reefs nearby. From watersports to glass bottom boat excursions there is never a dull moment,

Like Michael Caine, Kate Moss and Quincy Jones guests can plant a tree at GoldenEye to mark their visit by making a donation of $1,000 to the Oracabessa Foundation, which supports local and sustainable development on the island.

www.goldeneye.com

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